Chapter 49: Rift Part 2
The deeper they went, the tighter the air became.
The stone walls seemed to close in, the light from the bioluminescent moss dimming with each turn. The floor grew uneven, jagged in places, forcing them to watch their footing. The silence was oppressive, broken only by the occasional drip of water or the soft scuff of boots against rock.
Kael held up a hand. The team halted.
"Movement ahead," he said. His voice was calm. Controlled.
Darius raised his shield instinctively. Reina’s hand curled around her wand, magic already forming along its crystal tip. Shade melted into the dark, becoming one with the shadows along the cavern wall. Marianne stepped behind the frontliners, her lips moving in quiet prayer.
Inigo and Lyra lingered at the rear again. Observing. Waiting.
A soft chittering sound echoed through the space.
Then they came.
Draconutes. Again. But different.
These ones were leaner, faster. Claws clicked against stone. Their eyes glowed faintly with red malice, and they moved not in mindless charge—but in formation. Coordinated. One screeched from the ceiling, and the rest surged forward.
Kael didn’t hesitate.